The More College Football Wins, the Lower the GPAs?

Researchers at the University of Oregon recently released the results of a study that examined the grade-point averages of the Oregon student body and the performance of its football team. Their study was designed to look at the “nonmonetary costs” of college sports. New York Times reporter, Mary Pilon, quotes the study’s authors—Jason M. Lindo, Isaac D. Swensen, and Glen R. Waddell—that the results “support the concern that big-time sports are a threat to American higher education.” The study’s findings conclude the following when the college football team is winning:

The male students tended to consume more alcohol and decrease their study time while celebrating

The academic performance of females declined too, but it was much less than the males.

There was an overall decrease in studying during the fall (the football season) and an increase in partying.